Discipline and focus

There are several potential issues with online poker. Online poker sites are open 24 hours a day, they are so accessible that you might be tempted to play in circumstances when you would not consider a game at a bricks and mortar casino for example when you are tired, or maybe intoxicated. Easy access can encourage obsessive playing patterns amongst some people and this can be particularly damaging for problem gamblers who find it difficult to walk away from games when they should.

The online poker player will also face challenges to their concentration that will not occur in the offline game. Emails, computer games, web surfing, television and other domestic distractions will all compete with the online poker game for the players attention and can distract them from focussing fully on the game in hand. To counteract these issues the online poker player needs to discipline themselves to keep their eyes on their online poker game to the exclusion of other entertainments.

Interaction

One of the appeals of offline poker is the social interaction element of the game. Players are pitted against each other , reading each others faces for clues about their poker hands and interacting with each other at a variety of human levels. With online poker games you are looking at computer graphic representations of players and there is much less social engagement. For people who are looking for social interaction as well as poker playing then the offline game certainly offers some advantages.

Financial Issues

There are more issues relating to the transfer of funds with the online game than offline

With online games you need to deposit cash using some form of electronic funds transfer, you cannot just turn up with some cash and walk away with your winnings afterwards. There is usually a delay of a few days before you can access any of the money that you have won.

Online poker games are also generally tighter than their offline counterparts. This is because each site offers a variety of poker tables providing different limits. This encourages online opponents to compete at a level that they are comfortable with and therefore with players of similar ability. In offline casinos players are more likely to join a game just because there is a free seat. This can mean that players are more likely to face a variety of skill levels within a game of offline poker.

Gameplay

There are tells in the online game but they are rarer and more difficult to spot than with offline poker. The pace of play in online poker games also tends to be much swifter than with offline games. This can be confusing, particularly if you are new to the game. If you are starting out it is best to select a game that is appropriate to you own skill level.

In the online game there are more opportunities for players to cheat through collusion. Collusion can happen offline too but tends to be rarer. Online collusion can take place in a variety of ways, for example by the same player playing multiple hands or by several players working together. However online casinos are getting adept at spotting this sort of cheating and these forms of cheating are far from fullproof.